


Good Thing I Believe in Serendipity

by larrymylove



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Baker Harry, Chance Meetings, Doctor Louis, Fate, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Love at First Sight, M/M, Mentions of self-harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-11
Updated: 2015-08-11
Packaged: 2018-04-14 05:45:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4552941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/larrymylove/pseuds/larrymylove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis and Harry meet each other at the lowest moments in their lives. Knowing that they can't be together at that moment in their lives, they part ways with a promise of "someday" and "serendipity." Five years later, they meet again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Good Thing I Believe in Serendipity

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote the first half of this almost two weeks ago, but really had no idea what to do with it. Then today I sat down to play with it, and this happened. And I am happier with it than I ever originally imagined. I hope you enjoy it too!

Louis Tomlinson rather much hated the world. He was generally an upbeat, loving-life kind of guy. But today had been bad. Actually, scratch that. There were no adjectives to describe how shitty his day was. All he wanted to do was go home and down a bottle of vodka until he forgot his name and Tommy’s name and finally black out. But he had early rounds tomorrow and knew better than that. Fuck, he was a better doctor than that. But maybe after today, he shouldn’t think so highly of himself.

He got on the elevator and rode up to his floor, pressing his temple against the cool metal of the elevator wall. He just needed to ground himself somehow or he was certain he was going to completely lose it and do something dangerous. His best friend Zayn, who happened to be the best neurosurgeon on the west coast, had even insisted Louis take a cab back to his apartment.

“I really don’t think you should drive tonight, bub.”

And Louis had snapped at him, telling him he was perfectly capable of getting himself home and accused Zayn of fearing that Louis would be incapable enough to kill another person that day. Zayn’s face had paled as if Louis had struck him, and he’d insisted that Louis was not to blame in any of the circumstances that had taken place that day. And Louis knew deep down that really, Tommy had had a very slim chance at pulling through. But that didn’t mean he didn’t take personal responsibility for not being able to save this child. And right now, Louis didn’t want to think of Tommy - he couldn’t think of Tommy. If he thought of Tommy - the sweet little kid with bright brown eyes and a bowl cut and a snarky little attitude and who was all jokes and goodness - Louis would break down again. And he wasn’t sure he pick up his pieces if he did.

The elevator doors opened and Louis stepped out into the hallway. He just wanted to go home and fall into his bed. He couldn’t deal with anything else tonight.

He certainly couldn’t deal with what he saw as he rounded the corner of the hall.

There, leaning against a wall, was a boy. Well, not really a boy. He looked to be about twenty. And he was wiping tears from his cheeks with the backs of his hands. And Louis’ heart sank to his stomach. Because honestly, he imagined he hadn’t looked much better when Zayn had found him hiding out in the storage closet that evening - sobbing on the floor. And so naturally, Louis’ heart went out this kid a little bit.

“Hey,” Louis approached, “Um…” his voice was still gravely and sore from crying, “Hi.” Louis wanted to kick himself. He had no idea what to say to this kid. He couldn’t even comfort himself, much less someone else right now. But he wanted to try to be there for him. And Louis wasn’t about to ask the question ‘are you okay?’ Because fuck that question. Anyone who asked that question when someone’s sobbing their fucking eyes out deserved to be punched in the nose.

“Hi?” The boy glanced up and Louis and Louis was met with two very green eyes. And freckles. The boy had freckles. And green eyes. And curls. And Louis would think he was cute if Louis currently didn’t hate the world and everything in it, and if this boy wasn’t shaking with sobs.

“Why are you crying?” Louis asked plainly.

The boy gave him a confused look, so Louis clarified - “I would ask you if you’re okay, but right now I know what a dumb question that is. It’s quite obvious that you are anything but okay right now. So there’s my answer. What I _am_ asking instead is why you’re crying and if there’s anything I can do to help.”

“Oh,” the boy’s lips pressed together and it seemed as if he was debating telling a perfect stranger the cause of his current meltdown.

“Look,” Louis cleared his throat, “About an hour ago I was in the same position you are. Crying on the floor. My friend had to hold me in his arms and rock me like a fucking child until I calmed down enough to remember how to breathe normally. And if I just walked by you without at least trying to make things a bit better for you, I’d be the shittiest person alive. So I’m just asking if there’s anything I can do.”

“Why were you crying?” The boy asked, concern suddenly overshadowing his face. And shit. This kid had just been sobbing, and now was looking at Louis as if he was his only concern.

“I asked you first curly,” Louis gave a half-hearted smirk to the kid and sunk down on the floor next to him, leaning his head back against the wall.

“My ex,” he began, “Um...that’s his apartment,” Harry pointed to the door across the hall, “It was our apartment until about two hours ago when he threw me out. He just came home tonight and said he was done with me and with us and that I needed to leave. He said I could come get my things tomorrow morning. But until then...I am just stuck. I don’t really have anywhere to go either. My best friend Niall gets back in town from vacation tomorrow. He said I could stay with him. But between now and tomorrow at noon when Niall gets back, I don’t have anywhere to go.”

“Fuck,” Louis raised his brows, taking in the entirety of what the kid had just said, “Um...why not get like a hotel for the night or something?”

“I could do that. But…” the kid rolled up his sleeve of his sweater and revealed a few thin, white scars on his forearms, “...I haven’t hurt myself in over a year. And I am scared if I am alone tonight in some strange hotel room, I will. So for right now, I am just going to sit out here and try to comprehend what just happened to my life.”

Louis reached out gently and held onto the boy’s forearm. He ran a thumb over one of the scars as he said, “I killed a kid tonight.”

“What?” The boy didn’t flinch or jerk away or shout or look at Louis as if he was a monster. He just stared at Louis with furrowed brows and a sort of gentleness about him.

“I’m a pediatric surgeon,” Louis explained, “and I had this patient, Tommy. He’d been my patient for almost six months. Anyway, he had gotten pretty bad and I had two options. One option was a safer bet. The other, more risky. But I was certain that Tommy could handle the riskier option. I was certain I could handle the riskier option. But...I failed. And Tommy died on my table. And I had to tell his parents that they lost their five year old son today. All because of an error in my judgment. And they blame me. And I blame me. And my friends and the hospital staff all tell me that it happens. The fucking chief of medicine told me that it happens sometimes. And that may be, but it doesn’t happen to me. I fucked up so much today. And I killed that kid. I killed this sweet beautiful little boy because of an error in my judgement. And tonight, I really debated driving myself off a bridge.”

“Wow,” was all the kid said. And Louis wasn’t sure if he was angry or glad about that. Maybe a little bit of both. He didn’t want to hear some sort of apology or another, ‘it’s really not your fault.’ He couldn’t handle hearing that one more time.

“So I guess we can both mark today down as the shittiest day in all history, right?” Louis made a weak attempt at a joke. The boy actually smiled though. It was a tiny, tiny shadow of a thing. But it was still a smile regardless. And Louis couldn’t help but feel his own lips upturn slightly. There was just something about this kid that had that effect on him.

“Guess so.”

“Come on,” Louis brushed his knuckles against the boy’s thigh, “Let’s get up. This floor is uncomfortable and who knows what sort of bodily fluids are on it.”

“I-I don’t have anywhere to go,” he protested.

“Sure ya do, Curly. We’re going to my place.”

“I-I don’t know...I don’t want to impose and we don’t even know each other. What if you’re some sort of…”

“Killer?” Louis smiled morbidly, well aware of how morbid it was given the circumstances.

“I didn’t mean that!” The kid paled and Louis held out his hand.

“I know. Now get your ass up, Curly. We’re going back to my place. You can crash with me for the night. You don’t trust yourself to be alone and I don’t really trust myself to be alone either. So let’s just sort of help each other out here, okay?”

“Okay,” the boy nodded. He accepted Louis’ hand and Louis pulled him up off the carpet, “I’m Harry by the way.”

“Louis,” Louis said as they walked towards Louis’ apartment, “Hope you don’t mind, but it’s a bit of a mess. I never have time to clean with all my time spent at the hospital. Which reminds me,” Louis paused, digging his key from his pocket, “I have to be at the hospital at six tomorrow morning. You can crash until you wake up. I won’t make you get up on my account. I’ll leave you a spare key and you can lock up after you go. Just be sure to slide it back under the door when you take off and also uh...don’t steal my shit.”

“I think I can abide to those terms,” Harry replied, biting back the traces of a small smile.

Louis unlocked the door to his apartment and held it open for Harry to enter first. Louis shut and locked the door behind them as Harry stood in the middle of the entry way, glancing around.

“Like I said,” Louis shrugged, “It’s not much. But it’s home. You’re getting the bed tonight and I won’t hear any arguments about it, love. Come right this way,” he tossed his keys into the catchall by the door and jerked a thumb towards the short hallway. Harry followed behind. Louis walked into the bedroom and squinted at the sheets.

“I think these are clean,” he said, “I mean, I don’t have time to do anything anyway on them. So yeah. The only bodily fluids on them should just be sweat. And that’s disgusting and way too much information and I’m sorry.”

Another small smile cracked Harry’s face, “It’s fine, Lou.”

And _Lou?_ Louis blinked at the nickname but didn’t question it. He actually liked it. His mom used to call him that when he was younger, and hearing it again was...well, it was just really comforting. He needed to hear it then.

“Okay then. Um...do you have any other clothes?”

“No,” Harry sheepishly looked down at what he was wearing.

“I think I have something for you,” Louis turned to his dresser, “Although, it may be a bit small for you since you’re basically Sasquatch, kid.”

“Sasquatch!” Harry squeaked, “No! You’re just tiny!”

“ ‘m not tiny,” Louis scoffed, tossing an old t-shirt Harry’s way. If it hit him in the face, well.

“Thank you,” Harry plucked the t-shirt from his head.

“Is there anything else I can get for you?” Louis asked, wanting to be a good host, “A glass of water maybe? Are you hungry? ‘m not a good cook. Can’t cook to save my life. But I can pour cereal and milk into a bowl.”

“It’s fine, really,” Harry sniffled slightly, wiping his nose on the back of his hand, “I’ll be fine.”

“You sure?” Louis raised a brow, taking a step forward. He put his hands on Harry’s shoulders. He didn’t know why, but he suddenly felt the intrinsic need to want to protect this boy. Maybe it was his own feelings he was grappling with. Louis did always have this way about him. Everyone always complimented him on how strong and compassionate he was. What they didn’t know was that Louis was quite fragile and was only ever really held together by brightening other people’s days. It was therapeutic for him to care for others.

“No,” Harry’s voice was so small and Louis’ heart broke for him, “Louis, I thought things were fine. I mean, they weren’t. But they were getting better. I knew I shouldn’t have taken him back…”

“Whoa, what happened exactly?” Louis ushered Harry out to the living room, “I’ll fix us some tea. It helps to talk through things if you want.”

“I want,” Harry nodded. Louis fixed them their teas and handed Harry his mug. After taking a sip, Harry continued, “We were together for six years, Louis. And after four years, he cheated on me. And I knew in the back of my mind that should have been it. But he was so sorry and he told me that I was the only one for him. He started talking about marriage and a life together. And I wanted that all so badly. So I took him back. And then tonight, he just came home and said he’d found another guy and was done with me. Just like that. As if I was nothing to him.”

“You aren’t nothing,” Louis said, adamantly, “You’re not, Harry.”

“But I am though,” Harry glanced down at his hands, “Patrick - that was his name - was an investor at his dad’s firm. You...you said you were a pediatric surgeon. And me? I still work the same job I did in high school.”

“Harry…” Louis kept his voice soft as he tucked his legs up underneath him on the couch, “Don’t say that.”

“It’s true though. I work at the bakery I worked at as a teenager.”

“Do you like it?”

“Very much.”

“Then that’s all that matters, love,” Louis brushed his knuckles against Harry’s knee, “Really, love. As long as you enjoy what you do and you do it with passion, that’s all that matters. And I am sure you make your customers’ day whenever they see you. With that bright smile and those dimples!” Harry blushed under the compliments and Louis continued on, “You matter, Hazza. You matter so, so much. And you most certainly are not nothing. I, for one, am very glad you exist.”

“Thank you, Lou. I just...I feel so useless sometimes. And he left me, Lou. He left me for another man. How is that supposed to make me feel?”

“Like shit,” Louis sighed, “but that’s his issue not yours. He’s the one who’s got a problem. You don’t. I don’t know you, but I know you’re sweet and that anyone who cheats on you and dumps you is missing out on something really great,” Louis reached out and ran his fingertips along Harry’s scars, “Please don’t do that anymore.”

“I haven’t in a long time,” Harry looked down at his arm as Louis’ fingertips outlined each scar with such a gentle, tender touch, “And it’s not like I do it really bad. I just get overwhelmed sometimes. I like the pain of it. It grounds me when I feel like my head’s gonna pop off. But I’ve been good lately. Instead of doing this I save up and get tattoos or I hold an ice cube to my wrist or something. A more healthier outlet than this. And it’s been so long since I actually hurt myself. But tonight I was so scared I would. I could only hear that voice in my head shouting at me to just do it. To just open my vein and it just kept shouting over and over until…” Harry’s voice dropped off.

“Until what, love?” Louis asked.

“Until you came along.”

They talked a little bit more, before they started yawning more often than not. And Louis collected the mugs and announced they should probably get some rest. He told Harry that he’d leave the spare key on the counter, and to lock up once he left. They shared an awkward one-armed hug before saying goodnight. Harry padded back towards the bedroom, and Louis arranged himself on the couch. It really wasn’t comfortable at all, but he was just hopeful Harry was sleeping soundly in his bed.

He couldn’t help but think of Harry as sleep danced around him. With all the odd hours put in at the hospital, Louis didn’t know anyone in the apartment complex. He had never even seen Harry before until that night. And looking after Harry had given Louis the chance to get his mind off of his own demons. He actually felt comforted for the first time all day. There was just something soothing about Harry and his abrupt presence in Louis’ life. And Louis really wasn’t sure what to do with that.

He liked Harry. He really did. He felt this magnetic pull to him. But he knew from experience - his experience actually - that he shouldn’t get involved with someone so complicated. Louis had had boyfriends when he was in dark places. They always wanted to fix him or would get frustrated with him. And Louis was so much happier just being left alone. Harry needed to learn to pick himself up and brush himself off. Besides, he’d just gotten out of a shitty relationship. It’d be taking advantage if Louis’ tried anything.

Louis knew Harry was right.

Too bad the timing wasn’t.

Louis awoke the next morning bright and early. Okay, maybe not bright. It was still dark out. He pattered around getting ready and fixing himself some coffee. He had a change of clothes in his locker at the hospital, so he didn’t need to go in and disturb Harry. He left the key on the counter with a little note scrawled on a post-it.

_I like you a lot, Hazza. You are so special and so worthwhile. Please know that. If things are meant to be, they will be. Just at different place and a different time. --Louis._

He drew a sloppy heart by his name.

When Louis got home from work that night, with Zayn in tow, after picking up the spare key from the floor, he immediately rushed to the bedroom with some stupid little thought that maybe - just maybe - Harry would still be there. Of course, he wasn’t. The bed was made up neatly. Louis frowned, running his hand over one of the pillows.

“Sorry bub,” Zayn put a hand on Louis’ shoulder, “But you didn’t really think your chance encounter would still be here, did you?”

“No, I guess not,” Louis frowned, “Come on. I’ll get us some beers. Go ahead and find a movie on Netflix, will ya?”

Zayn plopped down on the couch, flipping through the catalog on Netflix. Louis went to the fridge to fetch the beers. He noticed a note on the counter where his had been.

_Lou, good thing I believe in Serendipity. See you someday! -- xx H_

Louis felt his heart race a little.

“You don’t really think you’ll see him again, do you?” Zayn asked when Louis had finished reading the note out loud for the twentieth time. Louis frowned at him.

“I have to, Z.”

\--

“Paging Doctor Tomlinson to the ER for consult. Doctor Tomlinson to the ER for consult.”

Louis let out a groan as he finished lacing up his work shoes. ER pages meant some doctor in trauma needed help assessing a patient. It was never good. Louis shrugged on his white coat and brushed his hair back from his face. He took a deep breath, and tried to mentally prepare himself for what he was going to find waiting for him. Usually it was really bad - car crashes, cases of extreme abuse. Louis took a deep breath and hugged himself as he rode down to the ER on the elevator. He kept mentally telling himself to pull it together and put his game face on. He knew when he entered the doors of the ER, he would be in his zone. All fear and anxiety would be gone and his adrenaline and medical smarts would kick in and he would kick ass. But until that moment, the nerves were almost too much to bear.

The elevator pinged and the doors opened. Louis took a deep breath. He pushed through the doors of the ER and headed over to the nurses station. One of the nurses pointed to one of the rooms and Louis took a deep breath. He could do this. He always did this. He hadn’t lost a patient since Tommy. And that had been four years ago. Four freaking years. His record was astounding. Interns whispered about him. He had the nickname Doctor Badass. He’d take that over McSteamy or McDreamy any ol’ day.

When he entered the room, he saw Doctor Payne - one of the trauma doctors - brushing the hair from a little boy’s forehead. Louis cleared his throat and Liam - Doctor Payne - turned to Louis with a small smile on his face. Louis glanced at the boy. He seemed fine. No damage that Louis could really see off the bat. But that didn’t mean anything.

“Hiya,” Doctor Payne waved Louis over, “Louis - Doctor Tomlinson - this is Nathaniel and his mother, Gemma. Nathaniel here has a stomach bug. And he’s going to be just fine. But he’s a bit dehydrated and hasn’t been able to keep down food. So I’m going to give him an IV and keep him overnight for monitoring.”

“Okay?” Louis’ brow furrowed. This wasn’t his usual realm, “Sounds like you’re in good hands, Nate! Doctor Payne is really great. We’ll get you fixed up and you’ll be back on your feet in no time, sweetheart.”

“Thank you,” little Nathan’s voice was soft and quiet but his eyes were big and gracious.

“So uh...this isn’t my usual…”

“Right,” Doctor Payne nodded, “Gemma here says that she know someone who knew the pediatric surgeon of this hospital. And she said that he said you were quite wonderful. She just wanted you to come in and check on Nathan,” Liam dropped his voice, “give her your expert opinion. C’mon, Lou. She just needs some assurance. Worried mom and all that.”

“Got it,” Louis nodded, “Hi,” he extended his hand and Gemma shook it, “I’m Doctor Tomlinson. Louis.”

“Yes, I know,” Gemma smiled softly, and Louis’ brows furrowed. It was a smile he recognized, “My brother,” she cleared her throat, “When I called him and told him I was bringing Nate in, he said that I had to see about the pediatric surgeon. He told me that he was really wonderful. I know you’re probably busy, but Nathan’s nervous about the IV and my brother told me that you were good at just talking people through things. So if you could maybe...be with him when the nurse puts the IV in? Just like talk him through it? Shit,” she hissed, rolling her eyes, “You’re the head of pediatric surgery! You’re too busy for something like this. I am so, so sorry!”

“No, no not at all,” Louis walked over to Nathan and squeezed his shoulder lightly, “I don’t have anywhere else to be at the moment. I’ll be more than happy to be right here throughout the whole thing. You’ll be great, kiddo,” Louis smiled down at Nathan, “Trust me.”

“Thank you,” Gemma met his gaze and smiled at him with the most sincerest of looks.

“We’re going to put the IV in just to give this little guy some fluids,” Liam explained, “And then we’ll take him up to peeds where he’ll stay for the night. Doctor Tomlinson will be doing rounds there anyway and I am sure you’ll be more than willing to check in on Nate throughout the night, right?”

“Of course,” Louis smiled, “More than happy to.”

“Thank you,” Gemma said again. Suddenly her phone began to ring, “I am so sorry! That’s my brother. He’s coming up to check in on us. Um...I’ll just step out and take this.”

“Of course,” Liam nodded.

Gemma returned a few moments later, “Is it alright if he comes in and says hi to Nate?” She asked, “Harry’s his favorite person in the whole world and it’d just be easier on…”

“Harry?” Louis’ brows furrowed. No way. It couldn’t be. It’d been five years…

“Yeah, my brother,” Gemma smiled, “He said he knows you. You’re a friend of his, right?”

“Right,” Louis nodded, “Yeah, he can come on it. It’s two visitors at a time, so that’s fine.” He tried to ignore the way his stomach tightened with nerves. It’d been five years since he’d seen Harry. Five years. He’d given up all hopes that he’d ever seen Harry again.

“I’ll go get the nurse to run the IV,” Liam ducked out and Louis sat down on the edge of Nathan’s hospital bed.

“You’ll be great,” Louis said, “They’re going to put the IV in you and it’ll be super-fast. With you being so sick, you aren’t getting the nutrients your body needs. So the IV will give you all that good stuff you aren’t getting now.”

“Will it hurt?” Nathan asked with wide eyes.

“A little bit,” Louis was never one to lie or sugar-coat, “It’ll be a little prick. Like a shot. But we have this special spray that the nurse will put on. It’s like magic. It makes your skin really cold for a second, and you won’t feel the prick as much.”

Nathan nodded, accepting that.

Suddenly the door opened and Harry walked in. Louis wondered if anyone else could hear the gasp he couldn’t help but make at first laying eyes on Harry. Harry still had his long, chocolate curls and those piercingly green eyes. They were riddled with worry though. But he looked good. He looked really good. Healthy.

“Nathan!” Louis rushed over to his nephew, “Hi buddy!”

“Uncle Harry!” Nathan cried out, “Hi!”

“You seem like you feel just fine to me,” Harry’s brows creased.

“He has a stomach flu,” Gemma explained, “He’s going to be just fine, but he’s a bit dehydrated and can’t keep down anything. They’re giving him an IV over night and some antibiotics. Luckily, Doctor Tomlinson is here though. You were right about him, lil bro. He’s terrific.”

Louis blushed under the praise and suddenly Harry’s eyes were on him for the first time. Which only made Louis blush even more. He’d played out the moment he’d see Harry again over and over again in his head. But it was never like this. And everything he’d practiced saying, suddenly disappeared from his mind.

“Hi, Lou,” Harry said, as if they were the best of friends and no time had passed between them at all.

“Hi, Hazza,” Louis smiled.

They said no more than that, because just then one of the nurses came in to give Nate his IV. Louis motioned Harry over to the bed. Harry sunk down on the other side of Nathan. Gemma stood beside Harry, hand resting on Nate’s knee. Harry and Louis both braced against the little boy. Harry brushed at Nathan’s hair and Louis held his hand firmly.

“You are so brave, buddy. You’re gonna do just great. It’ll all be over in a second. Hey, who’s your favorite superhero?” Louis asked, watching as the nurse rubbed the alcohol wipe against the crook of Nathan’s elbow.

“Um…” Nathan thought it over. He glanced at the nurse and Louis shook his head.

“Uh-uh, you look at me. Okay buddy? Just focus on me. Now then, your favorite superhero, bub.”

“Spiderman,” Nate said, a small smile crossing his face.

“Awesome!” Louis nodded, “Spiderman is my absolute favorite! Very good choice.”

“Uncle Harry doesn’t like superheros!”

“He doesn’t!” Louis gasped, watching the nurse wrap the rubber band around the top of Nathan’s arm.

“It’s not that I don’t like them!” Harry tried to defend, “It’s just...they don’t interest me.”

“You’re lame,” Louis stuck his tongue out at Harry, making Nathan giggle.

“All done!” The nurse announced. Nathan looked down at the tube in his arm.

“I didn’t even feel that!”

“Told you,” Louis nudged him gently, “So proud of you, bub. And you know what? Between you and me? I think Spiderman would be super impressed with how brave you are.”

Nathan beamed.

“Thank you so much,” Gemma squeezed Louis’ hand, “Really. I know you probably are busy. But thank you.”

“Don’t even mention it,” Louis hopped down from Nathan’s bed, “Anything for Hazza and his family.”

“Thank you,” Harry walked over to Louis, squeezing Louis’ shoulder lightly, “Really, Lou. I didn’t know what else to do. Gems said she was bringing Nate to the hospital and I didn’t even know if you still worked here. But I knew you’d be able to help them if you were here. So I told her to ask about you. I’m sorry if that was weird or anything. I mean, I know it’s been forever but…”

“I’m glad you told her to ask after me,” Louis brushed the pad of his thumb over Harry’s jawline, “Really, love. And...I’m glad you’re here.”

During Louis’ break, he found himself sitting at one of the cafeteria tables across from Harry, sipping on a mocha and listening to Harry update him on his life. Louis clung onto every word, fascinated with Harry’s story.

“I’m really good, Lou,” Harry smiled into his hot chocolate, “Really. The woman I was working for...she retired a few years ago. She put the bakery in my name. It’s mine now. My very own business! I couldn't be happier!”

“That’s fantastic, Harry!”

“Thanks! I am just so happy, Lou. Everything is going so well. It was uh...it was difficult at first. I had to really rebuild my life from scratch after Patrick broke up with me. But I am so glad he did because I have never felt happier in my entire life. I am doing what I love. And I am so, so happy. And I just look back on where I was when you found me in that hallway, and it’s like I can’t believe that was my life. I was in such a low, low place then, Lou.”

“I have to admit, I was too,” Louis reached across the table and squeezed Harry’s hand, “I wanted so badly to like, give you my number or something. But I knew we both shouldn’t get in a relationship at the time we met. It was just so much. And we both weren’t in good places. We needed to focus on taking care of ourselves. I just couldn’t…”

“I know,” Harry squeezed Louis’ hand back, “I’m glad we didn’t. It gave me time to get to know myself as an individual. Without Patrick or any other boys. Just me. And I could focus on taking care of myself. I still haven’t hurt myself,” Harry flipped his hand over to show Louis’ his forearm, “Not once, Lou.”

“I am so proud of you, Hazza.”

“I am proud of you too, Louis. You’re doing so well here. And you just seem really good too.”

“I am,” Louis nodded, “I’ve been really happy, Harry. It’s just...one thing’s been missing.”

“What is that?” Harry asked.

A small smile crossed Louis’ face as he said, “You.”

Harry smiled so big that his dimples popped as he said, “Good thing I’ve always been one to believe in serendipity.”


End file.
